This invention relates generally to the field of electronic locks and more specifically to an electronic lock system where a supervisor lock can permit or enable the operation of one or more electronic subordinate locks.
A single security lock is often used to limit access to a secure area to personnel who have the proper access code or combination. When a single lock is used, the entry of a single code will permit access to the entire area. Some areas located inside or even outside the secure area, however, may require access control. Currently, the only available method of limiting access to smaller areas is through the use of additional independent locks. An example of a secure area where it is desirable to provide additional security measures for smaller internal areas is an Automated Teller Machine.
Automated Teller Machines, ATMs as they are commonly referred to or ABMs (for Automated Banking Machines in Canada), are devices which dispense currency to holders of valid bank cards and other identifying information among other functions. For ease, both ATMs and ABMs will be referred to as ATMs. The machines may also be used to dispense other negotiable instruments such as scrip, coupons, tickets and other items that are reprinted or may be printed to create high value negotiable instruments. The currency storage (used to describe storage of any negotiable instrument) within the ATM vault is accomplished in currency cassettes or cash cassettes typically holding up to 2,000 bills each. The cassettes are inserted into a rack which typically includes a sheet feed and transport mechanism for picking and transporting the bills from the currency cassettes to a dispensing opening in the ATM structure.
The cassette rack is typically mounted in such a manner that it may be pulled out of the vault to access the various portions of the currency rack and bill picking and transport mechanism in order to permit the maintenance and repair of the device as well as to clear bill feed jams which may occur in the bill feeding and transporting mechanism. Once the ATM vault, which is simply a secure safe or similar container, is opened, the cassettes and the cassette rack are accessible even when the purpose for opening the vault is unrelated to accessing the cassettes. Due to the security afforded by the vault, most of the losses from ATMs are due to insider theft. Authorized opening of the vault grants access to large sums of cash or other instruments and presents and opportunity to the person opening the vault to commit an unobserved act of dishonesty and steal some or all of the contents of the cassettes.
Therefore there is a need for a lock system which secures the vault and provides additional access controls to smaller areas within the vault. Consequently, only the organization responsible for the money in an ATM would have access to the cash cassettes while granting vault access alone would permit maintenance and service work without the service personnel having access to the stored currency supply. There is also a need for a lock system, which secures the main vault and provides access controls to areas outside the vault or to alternative vault access points. This lock system may permit and/or authorize access to these other locks without the operator opening the main vault.
The use of an electronic supervisor and subordinate lock system provides a security system for controlling access to secure areas controlled by the supervisor and/or subordinate locks. This system may be useful when many of the personnel that access the secure area controlled by the supervisor lock do not need to have access to all the areas within the secure area. Thus, a second level of access control may be provided to these areas within the secure area. Additionally, this system may even be utilized when many of the personnel only require access to an area controlled by a subordinate lock that is outside the area controlled by the supervisor lock.
The electronic supervisor and subordinate lock system employs an electronic lock as a supervisor lock and at least one other electronic lock as a subordinate lock. The supervisor lock controls and/or authorizes the opening of one or more subordinate locks. The electronic supervisor and subordinate lock system may use an electronic combination lock that requires both an electronic key and a valid combination for the electronic combination lock. The electronic key and/or combination may provide information to the electronic supervisor lock relating to which locks the user is authorized to open. After operating, but not necessarily opening, the supervisor lock, the electronic key or the operator may receive the access codes for the subordinate locks from the supervisor lock. The subordinate lock(s) may open after use of an electronic key; a combination or code entered with a dial or keypad; and/or electronic key and a code/combination.
The foregoing section provides only a summary and a more detailed understanding of the invention may be derived from the attached drawings together with the detailed description provided below.